A Different Fate
by HaideesChild
Summary: ROTS AU. What if Palpatine's ship had arrived sooner on Mustafar? *Before* ObiWan had vanquished Vader...
1. Timing

**A Different Fate**

_Summary:_ ROTS AU. What if Palpatine's ship had arrived sooner on Mustafar? _Before_ Obi-Wan had vanquished Vader…

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Star Wars. The idea for the plot is mine, but I have borrowed heavily from the movie, _Revenge of the Sith_, and the novel based on this movie, by Matthew Stover. The characters belong to George Lucas. I am writing this purely for my own enjoyment and perhaps someone else might read it and enjoy it too (I hope!).

**Chapter One: Timing**

Obi-Wan's heart was breaking. But still he fought him. This horrific, twisted ruin of his best friend. The Force itself writhed and boiled around him, threatening to engulf Obi-Wan in a physical representation of the agony of Anakin's fall. It laughed at him, as it slowly ripped him apart; it laughed at his faith in the Force, his faith in Anakin. Because he understood. The _why_ danced in front of him, screaming his blame to the world, no longer a small sigh or a too-long glance that could be ignored. It had been _his_ fault. Oh, yes, the why mattered a great deal.

He fought without his mind, without his heart. He gave himself to the Force – with half a hope that Anakin – _Vader_ – would triumph. That he would die and not live to see the full extent of his friend's fall and its echo across the galaxy. But he was a Jedi, and he served the Republic. To kill Vader would be a blow to this newly-formed Empire, and, if Yoda were as successful with the Emperor, the galaxy would finally be free of the Sith.

Even though killing Anakin would tear him apart.

Over and over, he barely blocked Anakin's attacks; how long could he sustain this fight? Should he defend until he could no longer defend, or should he attack? Should he seek the thread in the Force that would lead to Anakin's death? Yoda's insistence played through his mind – _The boy you trained, gone he is. Twisted by the dark side _– but he could not yet accept the truth of it. As long as Vader looked like Anakin, he could not distinguish them. So he continued to defend. And to break. He thought of the boy who had dived head-first into everything. The boy with so much compassion in him, so much life. He remembered "The Hero With No Fear", the Jedi who had continually done the impossible, who had shown him what it really meant to be alive. The apprentice who had given him grey hairs before his time. He almost laughed at the irony – at the countless times he had told him, "You're going to be the death of me."

No, he could not try so little to reach that boy again. Cold reasoning had not worked – a Jedi could not reach a Sith. But could he not reason with Anakin in another way? Could he not still hope to reach his brother, to find him again beneath the cruel, twisted mouth and the mocking eyes of Vader?

But he could not forget the security holos, the corpses strewn about the Temple like dirty laundry, the lightsaber belonging to Anakin that had destroyed the only family he had ever known. The pain caught in his throat and the words he needed to say burned inside him, consuming the breath in his lungs and silencing his voice. And then he was fighting for his life. All thoughts of speech made impossible by the relentless and steadily expanding power of Anakin Skywalker, the dark Jedi.

Darth Vader.

The Sith Lord.

He let the Force take him. He was a Jedi and Vader was his enemy. It was as simple as that. And as painful.

--------------------

Anakin's surprise at Obi-Wan's appearance had been quickly replaced by disgust. Some part of him had hoped that Obi-Wan would survive Order Sixty-Six. He had wanted to give him the choice to renounce the Jedi and join him in building a new Empire. But, clearly, Obi-Wan was going to be as stubborn as ever.

The Jedi had betrayed him. They had always distrusted him, even Obi-Wan had had his doubts in the beginning. But still he had hoped Obi-Wan would understand. The Jedi had grown lax in their guidance, allowing corruption and bureaucracy to rule; only the Sith could bring order to the galaxy. But the one Jedi he would have been proud to call brother – to welcome into his new Empire – had chosen to oppose him. He had forced Anakin to kill him. Obi-Wan had shown that he could not accept what had to be done, that he would not allow Anakin to do what had to be done. He was weak. And that weakness had held him back for too long. If it had not been for Obi-Wan, Anakin would have been strong enough to save Padmé by himself. He would not now have to rely on Palpatine!

It disappointed him that Obi-Wan didn't understand, but his disappointment had vanished in a fog of rage when he had discovered that he had prompted Padmé to share his intolerance. She had looked at him with horror – the one person in the galaxy who had nothing to fear from him! Obi-Wan had done that. He had poisoned her mind with his Jedi-centric babble, his narrow-minded opinions, and his mistaken view of what must be done, of what were acceptable losses to achieve the restoration of order in the galaxy.

And so they fought. Saber matching saber, like a parody of their life together. Obi-Wan had not been Anakin's only lightsaber tutor, but he had trained the longest – and fought the longest – with Obi-Wan. But then, as now, Anakin felt superior. He was in control. He felt the Force and it obeyed him. Obi-Wan was dead, as dead as Dooku had been, when he had first used his anger as a weapon those short months ago – how things had changed since then! How far had he now come, without the Jedi holding him back! The fight went on and on, and Anakin took a perverse delight in cultivating a sense of success in Obi-Wan's mind.

He was easily pushing Obi-Wan to the limit of his endurance. He felt his anguish, the wavering of his connection with the Force. Soon, that connection would fail and Anakin would be there – just as he had promised, he thought with a smirk – to send him into the Force. To rid himself of this last attachment to the Jedi.

But part of Anakin still delayed the inevitable, still sought an alternative to killing his old master. Part of him still remembered their friendship, their bond. He considered again trying to reason with Obi-Wan, but if Obi-Wan couldn't trust him to do the right thing, then it was impossible. Obi-Wan was a Master; he had been on the Council and endorsed the Code, the very Code that had forced him to hide his love for Padmé. When the Jedi should have encouraged their love, they had made them feel shame. Every day, he had wanted to shout to the world of his love for her. That he lived for her, breathed for her, died for her. Only Palpatine realised what she meant to him. Only Palpatine had offered to help. Obi-Wan was a Jedi. Obi-Wan had done nothing to help him… except to convince Padmé that he was evil. Yes, he had done that much.

He felt his rage, felt it feeding the dark side of the Force, and he enjoyed it. Ironically, he felt strangely calm, detached. He picked the moment in which he would call fully upon its power to sweep away his past and usher in a new life. A new life as Darth Vader, with Padmé and his child by his side and the galaxy at their feet. He had wasted enough time, and now he was going to end it. The last vestiges of his old life would die along with his old master, and Darth Vader would arise, invincible. The Dark Lord of the Sith.

--------------------

Obi-Wan felt the platform through the Force, a patch of light in a river of darkness. He jumped, seeking it, escaping for a moment the darkness billowing about Anakin. And his feet found their mark. Anakin was late, but he too escaped a fiery death, landing instead upon a hovering droid. Whether by Anakin's own power, or simply coincidence, the droid began speeding towards the platform and Obi-Wan allowed himself only a moment's pause to draw the Force around him, reaffirming his connection.

And in that moment, he heard a low whine and felt a shadow pass overhead. Obi-Wan looked up in time to see the ship and a different kind of shadow settled on his heart. The Emperor!

Yoda had failed.

And now there were two Sith on Mustafar.

Obi-Wan knew he could not fight them both. But what was the alternative?

He had always known the best course of action, had always known what he should do. But, suddenly, he couldn't trust himself anymore. He couldn't see the path that he should follow, the choice that he should make. Should he try to fight, knowing he would almost certainly fail, or should he flee? Should he go into hiding, save his own skin and leave the galaxy in the hands of the Sith? And then he remembered the Sith hovering beside him and snapped his attention back to the present. But it was clear that Anakin was distracted himself, his annoyance at his Master's premature arrival leaking out into the Force.

They had continued to hover downstream after Palpatine's arrival and now Obi-Wan could see the landing pad upon which sat Padmé's ship, the silver hull holding back the flaming heat of this Sith planet, but it would not hold out the Emperor. And suddenly, his mission was clear to him. He would not stay to fight two Sith. He could not save Anakin, but he could save Padmé. He had been charged with protecting her many times and he would not stop now. Especially now that there were two lives sharing her body. He would live to protect her and her unborn child. The last vestige of Anakin Skywalker. Yes, that was worth protecting. Worth running and hiding and leaving the galaxy in the hands of the Emperor.

His decision made, he directed the platform into the bank. For several seconds, Anakin's droid continued to travel down the river of lava, until he noticed that Obi-Wan was no longer beside him. Anakin growled and forced the droid backwards towards Obi-Wan, making slow progress against the rush of air flowing along with the lava. The peace of certainty resettled around Obi-Wan, in direct opposition to the snarl of rage on Anakin's face, and now the words flowed freely. He sighed, acknowledging and accepting the pain of Anakin's betrayal, releasing his despair into the Force. "You were the Chosen One!" he cried. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness! You were my brother Anakin. I _loved_ you!"

His only reply was another sneer. He did not wait for Anakin to reach him. He turned and fled across the blasted plain, reaching the landing platform as Anakin jumped from the droid. Obi-Wan ran as fast as he could, calling on the Force to help him, but Anakin was faster. He felt Anakin's pull on the Force, and knew that he would not make it to Padmé's ship unless he found some distraction. Then inexplicably, Palpatine himself gave him the time he needed.

As the ship rose into the air, he looked down on the Sith one last time, on the planet blanketed with fire and shadow. Part of him regretted leaving two Sith behind him, but he could not deny the relief he felt that his destiny had not been to kill Anakin.


	2. Despair

**A Different Fate**

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Star Wars. The idea for the plot is mine, but I have borrowed heavily from the movie, _Revenge of the Sith_, and the novel based on this movie, by Matthew Stover. The characters belong to George Lucas.

**Chapter Two: Despair**

Anakin knew the whine of _that_ ship, but still he looked up. He frowned; his Master was checking up on him – or worse, running to save him – as if Obi-Wan could ever pose a threat to Darth Vader! Clearly Palpatine didn't trust him to take care of himself… but soon he would know the full power he had at his command. The frown became a smirk as he saw himself becoming the new Emperor. Then suddenly, he felt a change in Obi-Wan – a renewed sense of determination – and pulled his attention back to the present. Obi-Wan was getting away! He growled and violently drove the droid backwards, his anger increasing concurrently with his limping progress as the droid's propulsion systems fought against the blasted air above the lava.

Trapped as he was, he was not surprised when Obi-Wan used this moment to launch into a tirade of regrets – Anakin sneered as Obi-Wan threw his prophetic title in his face. His anger felt limitless as he urged the droid towards land with renewed desire to see his lightsaber burn through the traitor's throat.

"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you."

The accusation hung in the air. Anakin met Obi-Wan's accusing eyes with scorn; he had once felt that way about Obi-Wan, but no longer. Obi-Wan had denied his right to love. He had denied his right to be all he could be. And now Anakin would show him just how powerful he had become. Obi-Wan could run all he liked, but he could not escape his wrath. The _Chosen One_ had decided to support the Dark Side and the Jedi were now the threat to peace.

Anakin made it to land just as Obi-Wan ran past the slowly extending ramp of Palpatine's ship. His lightsaber humming, Anakin gave chase, enjoying the feeling of immense strength in his limbs. He had closed the gap to mere seconds when he too passed Palpatine's ship, but he could not yet ignore his master when he was hailed. "Master, Obi-Wan is escaping! I will destroy him," he yelled as he ran by.

"Lord Vader! I require your urgent attention!"

Anakin came to an immediate halt ten metres away and turned back to face Palpatine, scowling. "So urgent that it cannot wait one minute?"

"Yes. I demand your attention and your _full_ obedience. Only then may we forge the bond necessary to immerse ourselves in the dark side–"

"But he will escape!"

Palpatine frowned at Anakin's complete disregard of his wisdom. "We have both achieved less than our desires this day, Lord Vader. Disappointment does not become us. We shall not know it again. But _their_ disappointment will be without end."

Anakin extinguished his lightsaber, but his impatience led on his tongue and he spoke in anger, "As long as those two live, there are still Jedi in the world! _I_ will not stand for that, Master. How can you?"

Palpatine breathed in deeply, enjoying Anakin's rage, enjoying the anger directed at _him_. He had been alone for a long time. "Your anger is good, it gives you _focus_, makes you stronger, but you must learn to control it…"

Despite his anger, Anakin inwardly rolled his eyes. Apparently the Sith were as keen on platitudes as the Jedi had been.

Palpatine was still talking. "You still have much to learn. The Jedi are not our main concern at this time, my new apprentice–"

"But he's taken _Padmé_!"

Palpatine's frown deepened, "He will not harm her, Lord Vader. I have more pressing matters for you to attend to. It seems that members of the Senate – _including_ your wife, I _unfortunately_ must add – have been plotting to overthrow the Republic. In this time of reorganisation, they will have their best opportunity to strike. We must crush this fledgling Rebellion, before it destroys the order we have worked so hard to bring to the galaxy. You must return to Coruscant. There, you will guide the Senators in their new role under our rule. I will remain here for the moment – take my ship…"

-----------------

Obi-Wan landed the ship on a quiet platform at Polis Massa. After contacting Senator Organa as soon as they had made the jump to light-speed, he had been sent the coordinates for the little outpost Master Yoda had chosen for this first stage of recovery after defeat.

He had not spoken to Padmé during the flight – he had not had the strength to face her; after confirming that her condition was improving, he had hidden away in the cockpit. But upon entering the corridor, he found her already there, activating the ship's ramp.

"Here, let me, Senator," he said, hurrying to her side as the ramp extended.

"I'm not an invalid, Obi-Wan," she scolded, gently pulling away from his arm as she left the ship, Threepio and Artoo in tow.

And he understood that she needed to feel in control of something. That she was trying to be strong for her child. The thought of Anakin's child left him hollow inside. He stumbled on his way down the ramp and landed on his knees at its base. He pushed up against the ground, but his strength failed him. He gasped and tears threatened at last to burst forth from his eyes. He had failed Anakin. Anakin's love for Padmé had been the will of the Force, but he had not supported him. He had ignored it, simply expecting Anakin to overcome it on his own. The shame overwhelmed him; if he had truly understood him… _Anakin would not have fallen!_

He barely registered as a small hand drew his chin up to find his eyes. Padmé's smile was almost non-existent against the backdrop of her sorrow, but he felt its warmth nonetheless. He felt her forgiveness, but still he sank to his knees, clinging to her hands, gasping his apology. Padmé did not speak as she helped him to stand, but he knew she understood his despair, for it was her own.

He tried to speak, tried to blink back the tears, but she shushed him and pulled him into her arms. They wept together – for Anakin, in thrall to the Sith – as Senator Organa and a small contingent of Polis Massan ground staff walked onto the platform to greet them.

-----------------

Anakin listened in silence as Palpatine outlined the rest of his plan and Anakin's role in it. At first he was simply insulted by the menial tasks he was being asked to perform, but when Palpatine spoke of the future, he couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. The words twisted slowly in his gut, rolling over themselves and rearing up, gnashing their bureaucratic teeth. Finally, the monster took shape. Suddenly, it was unmistakable. Palpatine had lied to him. Either he did not understand how much Padmé meant to him, or he did not care. In either case, he would not help Anakin to save her. That was becoming clearer by the minute. Palpatine had won his soul with the promise that he would do all in his power to help him keep Padmé by his side, but his promises were dross. Anakin saw the pattern in Palpatine's requests: he, Lord Vader, would be the iron fist of the Empire, but he would never wield any real power. Palpatine wanted an apprentice, not an equal.

As Palpatine's gravelly voice droned on, Anakin's anger settled on its true target. The one target he should never have turned his back on. He had let his guard down and Palpatine had triumphed as much over Anakin himself as he had over the Jedi. His careful, calculated planning had borne bountiful fruits at long last.

But now Palpatine was the inattentive one. And in this moment, the Force struck through its one true weapon. Like the clone troopers who acted out the intent of others, whose total obedience of orders without emotion let no warning leak out through the Force, Anakin's actions ran ahead of his thoughts. The lightsaber in his hand hummed suddenly to life. His arm swung through a broad arc. The resistance of the flesh was minimal and before either man knew the consequences of its action, the arm had returned to his side. The lightsaber died. Palpatine crumpled to the ground at Anakin's feet.

-----------------

The once-mighty Jedi Master Yoda sat at a small white table in a little room on the remote mining outpost of Polis Massa. Obi-Wan sat on his left, Senator Bail Organa on his right, and Senator Padmé Amidala sat opposite. They were discussing the future of their once-mighty Republic. All of a sudden, many things had changed. Yoda had been forced to accept defeat at the hands of the Sith. He had been forced to accept that even he had allowed arrogance to blind him. Skywalker's fall represented the failure of all Jedi.

Yoda feared to wallow in self-pity as much as he feared self-hatred, but the future was not as grim as he had first thought. There was still hope, though it had come from an utterly unexpected and ironic source: Skywalker's defiance of the Code. This was another thing that he had learned; Amidala – the Senator whom he had long respected for her strong principles and as a courageous woman – was wife to the young Skywalker. Mother to his unborn children. And here she sat, blanketed by the Force, with its full support! He rubbed his head and sighed. There was still so much to learn, even after 900 years!

And in that moment, he felt a great shift in the Force – a great nothingness – which left him momentarily disorientated, until the stillness of the Force resettled about him. He looked first to Obi-Wan, then to Amidala. Neither showed any sign that they had felt the 'hiccup' in the Force. Both were too caught up in their despair. Yoda frowned. He felt the heaviness of their young hearts and sighed. Such pain no one should know.

-----------------

Anakin stared at the former Sith lord that now lay in pieces at his feet. He found no breath to voice his horror. Yes, he wanted to kill him. Yes, he _would_ kill him. But not yet! He needed him! He needed him to save Padmé! His despair threatened to overwhelm him and he took refuge in the one constant: his anger. Obi-Wan had done this. Obi-Wan had escaped, had fuelled Palpatine's doubt in Anakin's ability. If Palpatine had arrived to find Obi-Wan in pieces and Padmé at his side, would he still have asked him to return to Coruscant and play nurse-maid to the Senators? No, he would have begun his training and the intricacies of the Force would not still be hidden from him. Armed with such knowledge, the Force could not have used him as it had moments ago.

The Force – that had been his other constant. Life had gone against him before, but he had never felt that it had tricked him. That it had betrayed him. But the Force had guided his arm. He had now murdered the man whom he had murdered others to save! To save Padmé. The betrayal of the Force resonated through his being, paining him as only the shocked, disgusted look in Padmé's eye had had the power to. The confusion and despair welled up inside him and he sank to the ground, clutching at the silken robes of the Emperor, cursing the galaxy and the Force.


	3. Awareness

**A Different Fate**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. George does. _

_Author's note: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they spurred me on to write this chapter :)_

**Chapter Three: Awareness**

Obi-Wan had been as shocked as Padmé by the revelation that she was carrying twins. The medical team had been quick to sequester her in a private, fully-equipped birthing room, and Padmé's protests had only served to harden their resolve. Yoda, Obi-Wan and Senator Organa had nearly been thrown out – saved only by some gentle persuasion on Yoda's part.

So now they sat in the sterile birthing room, on either side of the bed in which Padmé lay. The machines resting idle against the wall and the harsh lighting only served to reinforce Obi-Wan's sense of separation from the Force. Their topic of conversation did not help to ease his sorrow, but he felt calmer now; the acceptance he had felt as he'd looked back at Anakin, still trapped on the river of lava, had returned.

He had done the right thing.

But now there were new decisions to be made. The galaxy was in the hands of the Sith; perhaps there were other survivors of Order Sixty-Six; and Anakin knew Padmé was pregnant. Obi-Wan felt that the last two were most pressing. He didn't know how Sith viewed children, but seeing as these two would no doubt be strong in the Force – and they were Anakin's own children – the Sith would likely show considerable interest in them.

_And if there is still anything left of Anakin in there, he will not abandon Padmé so easily._

Obi-Wan sighed. These thoughts were not helping.

The conversation turned to the fate of the Senate. Padmé and Senator Organa outlined the plans that they – along with a group of other Senators – had begun to formulate. These members of the Senate had doubted the direction that the Republic had begun to take long before the Jedi had started to question this war, and their role in it, and Obi-Wan felt further shame in this revelation. Were they not _Jedi_, the guardians of the Republic? Yet it had been a group of politicians – the very people whom Obi-Wan had never trusted to act without thought for their own personal safety or interests – who had seen the corruption in the Republic and sought to resolve it, without the support, or indeed understanding, of the Jedi.

Yoda suddenly turned to him. "What say you, Master Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan jumped. "Uh, forgive me, Master Yoda. I was not paying attention."

Yoda smiled at his contriteness. "Alone in that you are not, Obi-Wan," he chided affectionately. His expression turned contemplative. "Living in the past we were. Too little thought for the present we had. _Too sure of ourselves we were_." His voice dropped to a whisper, betraying his own shame at the Jedi's fateful blunder.

Obi-Wan nodded. _Too sure of Anakin I was_, he amended to himself. But he would not allow those thoughts to drag him down again, so he stepped up to the table and retook his seat. "I am sorry I was not paying attention," he repeated. "I hope a repetition of your discussion, for my benefit, will not be too arduous for you."

Yoda waved his apology away. "No closer to a resolution we have come. Repetition a new understanding may bring."

And so they talked of possible action in the Senate and about how deep the political machinations of Palpatine ran through the Republic. This led them to a discussion of Palpatine's likely plans, both against the Jedi (if he deigned to pay them any mind after Vader's rather successful attack on the Temple) and in the Senate. Clearly, tightening his grip on the Senate would be a necessity, and one which would not allow for outspoken complaints directed at the self-appointed Emperor.

At times, Obi-Wan glimpsed an expression on Yoda's face that reminded him, curiously, of an eager child with a secret he wasn't quite confident enough to share, lest it dissipate under the strength of others' scrutiny. Obi-Wan felt strangely comforted by this childlike delight. If he weren't simply going crazy (and whether he thought of Yoda or himself in this was strangely irrelevant), then it meant Yoda retained some hope for the resurrection of the Republic and the downfall of the Sith.

But Obi-Wan couldn't think about that yet. Discussing the likely actions of the Sith, and plotting their demise were two very different things and he was not yet ready to contemplate a second confrontation with Anakin. So when Yoda mentioned his uncertainty over the strength of Palpatine's hold over Anakin, and his belief that this would result in Anakin searching for Padmé – regardless of the wishes of his Sith master – Obi-Wan could see where the conversation was leading.

"I agree, Master. Anakin was never one for following the rules. Palpatine called him to him on Mustafar and he broke off his chase to obey him, but how long that solidarity will last is anyone's guess. The Sith have never been known for their camaraderie," he sighed, feeling his control wane. "But I _cannot_ fight Anakin. I don't know that I can- I would easily and willingly sacrifice myself, but I- how can I-?" he gestured vaguely, helplessly, as his throat tightened and that familiar pain squeezed his chest.

Yoda spared him further discomfort by raising his hand and Obi-Wan fell silent.

When he dared to meet Yoda's eyes, Obi-Wan saw that quiet joy there once more, before Yoda replied cryptically, "In thrall to the Force we all are, Obi-Wan. Even Skywalker. The path you must walk, from the Force you will learn. Trouble yourself over this matter do not. Rest we all need. Time for our strength to find. Time to know the will of the Force."

Obi-Wan smiled weakly at Yoda, grateful for his comfort, but his doubts still clung to him. "Is there time, Master Yoda?" he whispered.

Yoda chuckled. "So impatient are we, Master Obi-Wan." He paused. "Meditate I must, Obi-Wan, but join me you may."

Obi-Wan inclined his head in gratitude. "Thank you, but I would not wish to disturb you, Master. And, to tell the truth, I do not feel able to mediate just now."

Yoda nodded. "Then leave you I will," he said. He slid from his chair to the floor, took up his walking stick and shuffled towards the door. But just before he left the room, he turned back, eyes sparkling with an unrecognisable emotion, "Trust in the Force, Obi-Wan. With us, it is."

-----------------

Anakin did not know how long he knelt beside the fallen Sith. His emotions raged from anger to hatred, fear, despair, desperation and back again. But eventually, he began to tire and coherent thoughts slowly collected themselves through the fog of darkness, to reach one heart-breaking truth.

_He had hurt Padmé!_

After a long time without thought, his mind was suddenly filled with painful questions. They were a jumble of self-recrimination and fear, at the same time too terrifying and too fleeting to process with any sense of order. Was she going to die? Had _he_ killed her? Had he weakened her, so that the stress of childbirth would be too much for her fragile body to cope with? _Was it his fault? _He had done everything for her, but had she really needed any of it? She needed _him_; she told him so, but he was too caught up in himself to hear her!

He berated himself over and over for his stupidity, his fingers itching to take his lightsaber and slash it through his own worthless body. She _was_ an angel – he had never deserved her! And now he had failed her again; he had proved beyond doubt how unworthy of her love he was. The pain in her eyes when he had not denied causing the deaths of innocents cut through his thoughts. He had shamed her through his actions. _His_ use of the dark side had tainted _her_ too.

But he was not yet ready to admit that it was all in vain. _His powers could still save her_. He had to find her! She would die, with Obi-Wan by her side – just as he had foreseen – unless he could find some way to save her. Even without the full power of the dark side, he could not accept that he was powerless to stop her untimely death. He stood, purpose giving him strength, and ran to his ship. It did not matter that he did not know where to go.

-----------------

Obi-Wan and Padmé sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, after Organa left to check on his ship.

"Anakin and I discussed some names for the baby," Padmé spoke up suddenly; "we decided on Luke for a boy and Leia for a girl. What do you think of those names, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan turned them over in his head. "I like them both, Padmé. They are well chosen."

She smiled, and reached out to Obi-Wan. "I know that going into hiding will be necessary," she began, taking his hands in hers; "but, tell me, Obi-Wan, do you think I should give up one of my babies? Are we really in such danger? And who can we trust? Who will love my baby as I do, Obi-Wan?" There was grief in her eyes, but her voice did not waver.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I will, Padmé," he promised her at last. "Anakin's step-brother on Tatooine might take a child – Luke perhaps. I could go with him, to protect him, while you and Leia go with Senator Organa to Alderaan."

"Tatooine? Anakin hated Tatooine…"

"Yes, he did. So he will avoid it, and Tatooine is not part of the Republic. We would be well hidden."

Padmé sighed and leaned her head back onto the mound of pillows behind her. "Tell me what happened, Obi-Wan," she said. "Tell me what happened on Mustafar. Please."

He took a deep breath and hesitantly described the conversation with Anakin, their fight and the arrival of Palpatine. She listened in silence, showing no outward signs of distress at his tale, but Obi-Wan could feel her sorrow. As he finished speaking, she squeezed his hand. "You must not feel responsible, Obi-Wan. Don't blame yourself for our mistakes."

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly. "It is more my fault than yours, Padmé," he said softly. "The Jedi were the ones that forced you to hide your love. I, better than any, understood how strong a propensity Anakin had for love. But I ignored it and I was wrong."

Padmé shook her head. "We were wrong to think we could be together. If I had not admitted my feelings, he would not have fallen." She sighed. "He had dreams, Obi-Wan – like the dreams about his mother… he saw me die in childbirth."

Obi-Wan could not hide his surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words formed on his lips.

-----------------

Everything was just as Anakin had left it on the small landing pad upon which his X-Wing sat, except – except Artoo was missing! Where could he be? For a moment, Anakin looked wildly around the platform, seeing visions of a little hunk of metal dissolving in a river of flame.

Until he realised where he would be. The answer was like losing his arm all over again.

Artoo had betrayed him. _Artoo_. His one true friend.

The anger welled up inside him all over again, swallowing his pain, silencing the part of him that whispered that Artoo was right to try to protect her from him. He grabbed the Force around him and crushed it in his fist, driving it into a frenzy. Now it understood how he felt. Perhaps it would work harder to help him in future.

Without Artoo to communicate directly with the ship, his progress would be slow. Perhaps too slow. _What if the stress had sent Padmé into early labour?_ The thought sickened him and he turned his attention to the ship, leaping into the cockpit and starting up the controls. As it powered up, the ship discovered Artoo's absence. It automatically searched for its counterpart, bringing up his location on the screen, alongside a query about the unusual situation. Anakin's surprise was quickly replaced by relief as he ordered the ship to plot a course for Artoo's position. Perhaps Artoo's betrayal was not a betrayal after all!

Suddenly, the light disappeared. Artoo's beacon had been switched off.

All communication between them was down. The ship began spewing text onto the screen, wailing that Artoo had been destroyed, but Anakin knew the truth.

Artoo was hiding from him.

Well, it was too late and he would reward his little blue friend for his disobedience when they were reunited. But somehow, despite his renewed anger, his thoughts strayed to the day that Padmé had formally presented Artoo to him, as Jedi Skywalker. He had been bursting with joy and so proud to be able to gift Threepio to her in return. They had been so happy then. All four of them. How could he blame Artoo for seeking to protect her? Indeed, perhaps Artoo was the only one he could trust to make Padmé's wellbeing his top priority.

The ship's engines came online and he began the controlled ascent into space, setting the coordinates for Polis Massa. As the pilot in Anakin took over, his body relaxed, soothed by the gentle vibrations of the ship and the uninterrupted darkness of space.

Once in hyperspace, however, Anakin felt renewed anxiety. He feared for her life, that he would be too late – that the last memory she would have of him was one of horror! But most of all, he feared that he would be unable to save her. He felt that familiar fear tighten his chest. The fear that had played out on Tatooine. That he had seen play out over and over in his nightmares.

But alongside the fear came a renewed determination. He would not lose her again.

-----------------

_Author's Note:_ Please excuse me if anything I've described doesn't fit into the Star Wars Universe (and I would love to know of any errors so I can make corrections). I have assumed that Padmé was nearing the end of her pregnancy at the end of ROTS anyway (but this assumption is solely based on the size of the 'premature' twins in the movie, so it really could be quite erroneous!!!) Also, I have no idea of the distances involved between Mustafar and Polis Massa, although I assume they are an average distance apart; i.e. 'close but not too close'!


	4. Understanding

**A Different Fate**

_Disclaimer: The Star Wars universe belongs to George, I just play in it. I have also used a couple of quotes from Matthew Stover's novel "Revenge of the Sith", which are underlined._

**Chapter Four: Understanding **

Anakin watched anxiously as the timer counted down the minutes until he would come out of hyperspace over Polis Massa. In twenty minutes, he would be by her side again. But what of Obi-Wan? Would his opinions get in the way? He frowned – but in resignation, not anger – Obi-Wan would not survive their second encounter if he dared oppose him again. His thoughts centred on Padmé. He was still too far away to feel her through the Force, though his hope steadily grew.

He felt the Force brush his mind and he unconsciously relaxed into its caress. He had inadvertently obeyed the will of the light side of the Force in killing Palpatine, but what did that mean for him? He sat in silence, mulling over the change in the Force initiated by Palpatine's death. Was he now a Jedi once more, in that he served the light? Or was the darkness he still felt inside him too strong to simply disavow? Could he rebuild those walls he had so carefully constructed and so thoughtlessly cast aside? Or would the dark side, now that he had surrendered to it, be his master forever? The questions he had were perturbing, but for some reason, they felt less urgent, less important and he was calm, at peace in a way he had only truly felt with Padmé in his arms.

Ten minutes… He considered the task of proving his love – to Obi-Wan as much as to Padmé – so that he could avoid a confrontation that would surely cause Padmé great distress. He sighed; he would _not_ fail her again.

_That is a dangerous vow, Ani… _

Anakin's whole body tensed instantly. Suddenly, he was a little boy again, when his greatest worries had been sand in his boots and the result of Watto's most recent gambling efforts. "Qui-Gon?"

_Yes, Anakin. _

He shook his head, frowning; true, he felt that familiar presence – the reassurance only Qui-Gon had known how to provide – but his doubts lingered. "The Jedi preach that we become one with the Force when we die; that there is no self."

_The Force does not follow the rules of the living, Anakin. _We_ follow _its_ rules. Do you really believe the Sith have all the answers?_

Anakin didn't know how to reply. After a moment, he said quietly, "I hope so."

_Padmé doesn't want the whole galaxy. All she wants is your love._

He squared his jaw. "Love is not always enough, Qui-Gon."

_No, Anakin, love _is_ enough. It is only your selfish desire to keep those you love that makes you think that way. And Vader does not know love. Only endless hunger. There is _only_ self down that path._

Anakin was torn. He had been duped for so long; but he _wanted_ to believe him. He wanted to believe that this voice indeed belonged to Qui-Gon; he wanted to believe in the gentle encouragement that the words inspired in him. But most of all…

He wanted to do the right thing.

With this realisation, somehow, everything else fell into place. Or, perhaps, retook its natural position. Anakin had long lost any sense of perspective – in truth, he may never have _had_ any – but now he saw the direction his life had taken through new eyes. He remembered the boy who had dreamed of becoming a Jedi. He remembered his mother's face when he had told her of his dream – the mix of sadness and pride – and he remembered her assertion that _anyone_ could be great. He did not need to be a Jedi to help people – he only needed to be _good_. To do what was right.

And he had failed, most spectacularly–

_You have always sought to outdo everyone, Ani…_

Qui-Gon's gentle chiding cut through the shame and self-hatred growing threatening to overwhelm him. He gasped and finally allowed his tears to fall. "How can I fix all that I have broken, Qui-Gon?"

_You have _already_ begun the task, Anakin. You have destroyed the Sith… You have fulfilled the prophecy._

Anakin snorted through his tears. "Now I _know_ it is you, Qui-Gon. You were the only one to believe in that."

Anakin did not fail to feel a hint of smugness tinging the Force around him, though Qui-Gon did not reply.

"I am neither a Jedi, nor now a Sith. What am I?"

_You are a husband and you will soon be a father. That should be enough for now, though no doubt Master Yoda may wish for some small promises._

Yoda! Anakin groaned. His tears forgotten. "Yoda will never forgive me. He will not tolerate my presence."

_I will show you how to approach the Jedi. Do not let your anger at them get in the way, Anakin. _You_ chose the darkness, they did not choose it for you._

Anakin pouted, but before he could reply, lights on the control panel began to flash as the ship counted down the last half-minute to re-entry.

-----------------

Yoda sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor of the small cubicle on Organa's ship that he had commandeered. His meditations had confirmed his initial sense. The Force felt _good_, better than it had since he was very young. The dark side still flared and seethed within the bounds of the Force, but it had lost much of its former strength.

Yoda was quietly hopeful. Perhaps the Sith _were_ no more.

And the repercussions for the Force itself were electrifying.

The Force in balance. That simple idea had caused endless debate. But only one Jedi had ever dared to declare that the Jedi would regret their rash decision to reject the implications of the prophecy; that the prophecy had not been misread. That the Force was _not_ in balance.

Yoda sighed and opened his eyes. The remembrance of his reproach when Qui-Gon had refused to be silent caused an almost physical pain in his chest.

_I have no need to say 'I told you so', Master Yoda, for I find you here saying it yourself!_

"Deserve it I do. As do _you_, Qui-Gon. A very great Jedi Master you have become, Qui-Gon Jinn. A very great Jedi Master you always were, but too blind was I to see it."

_The recovery of the Jedi and of the Republic – through the fulfilment of the prophecy – has begun even now and all will be glad of your hand to guide them into the future._

Yoda chuckled at the mix of compliment and criticism, then bowed his head. "And I of your hand to guide me, Qui-Gon. Your apprentice I gratefully become."

-----------------

Anakin was directed into one of the smaller hangers on the eastern edge of the largest compound. He had no idea where Padmé had gone, but, once on the ground, he expected to sense her presence – or at least, the presence of the Jedi. Qui-Gon had been frustratingly silent whenever he had asked for more detailed directions and he had muttered about Jedi and their 'lessons' until Qui-Gon's obvious amusement had forced him to reign in his childish impatience and focus on landing the ship.

Following Qui-Gon's instructions, he removed his lightsaber from its place on his belt and secreted it away inside the specialised compartment built into his seat. He also cast off his slightly singed outer tunic – he would not need it in the temperature-controlled compound – and took a moment to shield his presence, before climbing out of the cockpit and setting off towards the compound proper.

Padmé's presence was unmistakeable. He followed it with his mind, seeking the quickest path, and was suddenly reminded of their secret meetings on Coruscant – in Padmé's apartment and in the Senate also. The joy he'd felt as he had stealthily approached her; the joy she had expressed at his presence. Their delight in each other had been limitless. Even the added delight of an unexpected tryst had barely added to their mutual happiness.

The remembrance of Padmé's happiness caused a flurry of mixed emotions – the strongest of which being love and remorse – but his resolve did not waver. If there were one thing he could learn from _Vader_, it was his determination. He knew he must do this, so he would. Even if she rejected him, he would see it through, and he would give her decision the respect and acceptance it deserved.

-----------------

After Padmé's revelation about Anakin's nightmares, Obi-Wan had been at a loss for words. The silence had stretched into a seemingly endless loop of furtive glances and hesitant smiles, broken only by the sound of the door chime.

Obi-Wan stood to answer it and was surprised when he was greeted by a very unlikely trio. Threepio began to speak the moment the door was open. "Oh, Mistress Padmé, I am so relieved to see that you are well! No one cares to inform a droid about such things," he complained as he hastened across the room, somehow managing to look unstable despite the smooth surface.

Master Yoda and Artoo followed him into the room. Artoo whistled his usual greeting, but the sound was considerably less cheerful than normal and Obi-Wan found himself automatically reassuring Artoo before he stopped mid-word – _he_ did not talk to droids as if they were human!

Yoda patted the side of the droid, chuckling lightly. "A long day has this been," he said in answer to Obi-Wan's frown, managing to sound as though the day in question had encompassed the whole of time and yet no time at all. After greeting Padmé himself, he turned back to Obi-Wan. "Come, Obi-Wan A walk you will take with me."

Yoda's request startled Obi-Wan and he immediately turned to Padmé, but before he could voice any of the concern he might have had for her, she interrupted.

"No, Obi-Wan; I don't want to hear it. I have enough trouble with the medics' fussing! Go. And I promise I won't go into labour without you," she teased.

He returned her smile, and stood to follow the diminutive Jedi Master as he shuffled out the door. Clearly Yoda's bizarre assurance was catching.

They walked along the deserted corridor towards the elevators. Here, the place was slightly more busy, as Polis Massans began returning to their homes from the lower levels. There were few off-worlders in this place, a fact which suited the Jedi. Obi-Wan had not felt the desire to explore the compound previously, but now he found himself strangely curious about the way of life on these barren asteroids.

Yoda led him through what appeared to be a large mess-hall and into a smaller room off to the side. There was a wide doorway at the opposite end that appeared to lead into an artificial courtyard. Obi-Wan unconsciously increased his pace, drawn by the vivid and sweet-smelling plant life.

But plants were not the only life forms here. Obi-Wan froze. Anakin had found them somehow – _how?_ – for there he stood, in the courtyard, surrounded by the lush plant life, looking for all the world as though he had been waiting for them. The contrast with his last view of Anakin could not have been greater. Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber, but he did not ignite it. On his right, Master Yoda appeared wholly unconcerned by the man standing not ten metres in front of them.

Anakin's eyes passed briefly over Obi-Wan, before settling on Yoda, and Obi-Wan saw the fires of Mustafar still burning there. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his lightsaber, his confusion growing. The waves of power he had been buffeted by on Mustafar were muted; Anakin's presence barely caused a stir in the Force surrounding Obi-Wan. _Perhaps Master Yoda is repelling the dark side_, he mused distractedly.

Anakin stood in silence for a moment, scrutinising Yoda, and being scrutinised in turn, before he spoke.

"Master Yoda," he said quietly, inclining his head.

Yoda replied with a nod of his own. "Stand before me, who does? Skywalker or _Vader_, hmmm?"

"Both," Anakin replied with a shrug.

Yoda frowned. "The father of Padmé's child, _Vader_ is? The husband, Vader also?"

Anakin's calm was momentarily broken as his shock and anger at Yoda's question showed plainly on his face. "Jedi cannot _be_ husbands, Yoda. Surely you have not forgotten the _Code_ so quickly?" he mocked.

"Sith, husbands also cannot be," Yoda replied evenly, with only a hint of accusation colouring his voice.

Anakin sought a response, but found none. Instead, he gave up his anger of the previous moment and asked what his heart most desired to know. "Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she alright?" He choked on the last word, but his proud stance never wavered.

"Safe, she is, young Skywalker. Safe you too can be. Happy with your wife and happier with your progeny I see you, my wayward Jedi – _if the dark side you utterly renounce_."

Obi-Wan stared at Yoda in undisguised disbelief. What had happened to his pronouncement that Anakin was lost to the dark side? He was too caught up in his own shock to notice that Anakin also stood, slack-jawed, staring in open amazement at the apparently senile old Jedi.

"But the Code-" Anakin finally uttered, drawing Obi-Wan's attention back to him; "the Code forbids- I-"

"Perhaps the Code revisited must be," Yoda said gently. "Wrong we all have been, Skywalker. Stepping stones in Sidious's hunt for power we were."

"But I- I killed-"

"Remorse feel you, Skywalker? In forsaking the Sith, destroy them you will – fulfil the prophecy – and forgiveness for Vader's evil deeds you will earn."


	5. Love

**A Different Fate**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, George does. _

**Chapter Five: Love **

Anakin, Yoda and Obi-Wan stood for a long time in silence. Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's conflict, the hope mingled with fear, but, in his own confusion, he could not intuit beyond these broad emotions to Anakin's true state. He had been surprised when Yoda made mention of the prophecy – Yoda had made no secret of his doubts on that score – but nothing prepared him for the shock of Yoda offering Anakin what amounted to a reinstatement within the Jedi ranks.

Clearly, a lot had changed in the few hours since he had fled Mustafar.

Foremost amongst these changes was Anakin himself. Obi-Wan still felt glimmers of the dark side, but he could barely sense the presence that he had associated with the Sith. It felt as though it was really Anakin standing there, lost and confused as always; as if that horrifying battle had been nothing more than a figment of his imagination. Obi-Wan almost forgot himself and reached out to Anakin through their bond, but he held himself in check at the last moment. He knew that it would not be wise to unsettle Anakin further, especially when Yoda seemed to be handling the meeting so well. They both clearly knew something that he didn't, so he merely waited for the conversation to resume around him.

Finally, Anakin spoke. "I could be a husband _and_ a Jedi?" he asked warily.

Yoda nodded in response. "Your children the next generation of Jedi will be," he said.

"Children?" Anakin whispered, making no attempt to hide the wonder in his voice.

Yoda raised his chin, almost accusingly. "Blessed by the Force you have been, Skywalker," he said, and Obi-Wan saw that his unspoken reproach had reached its target. Yoda apparently thought the same thing, for he repeated, "Yes, blessed," before adding, "To your wife you must go. Waiting for you, she is."

Anakin appeared to be both surprised and unsettled by Yoda's sudden and pointed dismissal, but he quickly recovered, nodding briefly to Yoda, before walking purposefully past them and into the room adjoining the mess-hall.

Obi-Wan mentally tracked Anakin's progress as he retraced the path Obi-Wan and Yoda had themselves walked to arrive at the courtyard. Anakin's love for Padmé was unmistakable; it was so unlike what he had sensed on Mustafar, and Obi-Wan felt a most un-Masterly pang of jealousy. He cast a quick glance at Yoda and saw with reticence that Yoda was watching him intently. Knowing that his feelings were obvious to the old Jedi, he sought to engage him in a different topic. As it turned out, it took only a moment to find a question that he was most desirous to have answered.

"What has become of Sidious then?" he asked. "Is he no longer a threat?"

"Dead he is, Obi-Wan," Yoda replied matter-of-factly.

Obi-Wan's expression went momentarily blank as he processed this new and most unexpected information. After so many years of fighting an ugly war, he couldn't decide how he felt now, upon hearing that their primary objective had been achieved at last.

"How?" he asked after a pause.

"The tradition of the Sith it was, for the apprentice his Master to overthrow."

"_Anakin_?"

Yoda nodded once. "The will of the Force it was. Now that free of Sidious' influence Skywalker is, the dark side less hold over him it has."

"But he is still confused, Master Yoda. Is it safe to allow him to see Padmé – especially in her current state?"

Yoda sighed. "Love he needs, to overcome the darkness within him. No more to help can I do," he admitted, before adding with a smile, "and not long in her condition will Senator Amidala remain. Talk they must, before parents they become."

-----------------

Anakin froze before the door to Padmé's room. He took a deep breath to slow the thunderous beating of his heart, but he managed no more than a short gasp before the first sob escaped him. Suddenly, the door rolled aside and he stopped trying to breathe. He found himself face-to-face with Threepio, who uttered an exclamation of surprise and only stepped back at a word from Padmé.

Anakin stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at his beautiful wife. Her hair was loose, cascading down her shoulders, and her hands were resting lightly on the bulge of her stomach as she sat up in bed. But when she saw him, her eyes went wide and then her face lit up with joy. Then two things happened at once. Padmé cried out "Anakin!" and threw back the covers, impatient to reach him, just as Anakin choked out "Padmé," before his legs failed him and he sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Distantly, he felt hands grasp his shoulders a moment later and he allowed them to draw him into the room. She knelt beside him, wrapped him in her arms and buried her face in his hair, whispering, "Ani." over and over.

Once his shaking had subsided, he returned her embrace more strongly, but he still could not meet her gaze. Only his sudden realisation that she was kneeling on a cold floor in a thin nightgown drove him to pull himself up and cradle her in his arms instead. He stood then and carried her silently to the bed. She laced her fingers around his neck and stroked the soft curls at his nape.

Once he had carefully tucked her back under the covers, he stood awkwardly by the bed. He rubbed a hand across his cheek, smearing his tears over his face, just for something to do. He could feel Padmé's eyes on him and when he looked at last, he was reminded suddenly of the first time he'd seen her. She smiled softly, almost indulgently, and Anakin wondered if she was thinking the same thing.

"Are you an angel?" he whispered, diverting his gaze to the floor at the last moment.

Padmé laughed – a beautiful sound which sang to his very soul – and she reached out to him. When he tentatively placed his hand in hers, she pulled him closer to the bed. He sank to his knees and she placed her fingers under his chin, raising his face so that they were again looking into each other's eyes.

"You're a funny little boy," she replied, and her smile was like life and hope and happiness all at once.

--------------

Obi-Wan sat alone in the little courtyard. With a mug of steaming tea in his hands and the plants flourishing around them, he felt almost as though the horrors of the past few days had never happened. He was quietly ecstatic that Anakin had apparently returned, but his joy was dampened by anxiety at the inevitable awkwardness – well, it would be more than _awkwardness_; they had tried to kill each other, after all.

But it still wasn't that simple. Obi-Wan found himself wondering just how well he _had _known Anakin. Anakin hadn't just been in thrall to the Sith; he had also said things that he truly believed, and they hurt.

And he had murdered the Jedi in the Temple.

Obi-Wan found that suddenly, accepting Anakin – though his heart ached to have him back – would, in a perverse kind of way, be harder than letting him go. Even in the few short hours between leaving Mustafar and arriving on Polis Massa, he had begun to accept that Anakin was lost to them. He had focussed very carefully on this, knowing that if they ever met again, he could not let his feelings get in the way as they had on Mustafar, for it would likely be a matter of life and death for Padmé and her children if he were to continue to protect them.

But now he had to accept what Anakin had done, without the ability to gloss over it with his grief; he could not tell himself that the Sith had duped them all – that Anakin had been destroyed by Vader – because Anakin had come back to them.

_But wasn't that what he had desperately hoped for?_

And so his thoughts fell into this seemingly endless loop of joy at Anakin's triumph over the Sith and trepidation for the changes that it had wrought on their relationship.

When Yoda returned with Bail Organa, Obi-Wan was surprised to discover that much had been decided already. Organa was anxious to return to Coruscant and Yoda had agreed that his own presence would help to deal with the inevitable upheaval in the Senate. Obi-Wan didn't like where this was going.

"Return to Coruscant with Senator Organa I will, Obi-Wan. Remain here with Skywalker and his family you must. Need you they both will."

He nodded, replying, "I will stay; but, Master Yoda, I don't know what to do."

Yoda sighed and Obi-Wan did not fail to note the exasperation in it. "Come to you he will, Obi-Wan. The bond you have, strong it is. Forgiveness he needs now. Strength. From the dark side, none have returned. Unknown this circumstance is. Little idea have I, how to heal him best; but heal he must, Obi-Wan, else all will suffer."

Obi-Wan frowned slightly. Yoda had said nothing that he had not already gleaned for himself; and he was _still_ unsure how best to proceed. _Is this how Anakin felt every time he had spoken to Yoda?_

"Already know you, what you must do, Obi-Wan," Yoda said, clearly sensing Obi-Wan's frustrations. "A great Jedi Master you are."

Obi-Wan frowned again, but this time it was self-depreciatory.

Yoda pretended not to notice. "Stabilise the Senate and begin the search for survivors we will," he said, though his tone suggested he did not hold out much hope. Then he added, "To direct the creation of a new Jedi Order, your task it is, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan was utterly speechless.


	6. Redemption

**A Different Fate**

_Disclaimer: The Star Wars universe belongs to George, I just play in it. I have also used quotes and made reference to scenes from the movies _Attack of the Clones _and _Revenge of the Sith.

**Chapter Six: Redemption**

After Obi-Wan bade farewell to Yoda and Bail Organa, he felt tempted to hide in the courtyard for ever. He could just sit here, slowly losing himself in the ebb and flow of the life surrounding him, until he truly became one with the Force. He indulged himself for a moment, then he stood, sighing.

The hardest thing he had ever had to do was fight Anakin, and yet he had done so. If he could do that, then he could face Anakin now.

As he walked, he ran through various scenarios in his mind, but none seemed to fit. What could he possibly say to him? Nothing less than complete honesty was what was required here, and so he desperately searched for some great and all-encompassing statement of his feelings for Anakin. Something that could make things right between them.

Perhaps he could say that he forgave him? He shook his head. _Too condescending_.

That he loved him? _Too presumptuous_.

He was relieved beyond words to have Anakin back – and to know that the Sith were no more – but he was still uncertain of Anakin himself, especially after he had been so completely ignored in the courtyard, and he was wary of being misunderstood.

He reached the door entirely too soon.

A moment's hesitation turned into two, and his resolve weakened. Suddenly, there were a myriad of excuses for why he should just keep walking.

It was late.

He might be interrupting.

_No._

Before he could talk himself out of it, Obi-Wan knocked on the door. He did not wait for it to be opened, using the Force instead, and hesitantly brushed Anakin's mind with his.

He felt Anakin's shock and the slightest flinch at his touch and then he was stepping through the doorway and Anakin's eyes were looking up at him, through those ridiculous bangs. Tears suddenly gathered at the corners of his eyes and his breath caught. _Of course he wanted Anakin back! _

He smiled and suddenly the words he couldn't find didn't matter. Because Anakin could see what he wanted to say. Because Anakin was smiling back now. It was shy and a little fearful, but it was still a smile.

He hesitated mid-way between the door and the bed, next to which Anakin was sitting, holding Padmé's hand. Just as Obi-Wan's discomfort threatened to become awkward, Padmé reached out her hand – the hand not clasped in Anakin's – and called to him.

Obi-Wan smiled gratefully and moved around to the side of the bed opposite Anakin. He took her hand and she squeezed it lightly. "You are looking well," he said.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said, in a tone that implied she was not simply thanking him for the compliment.

Now that they had spoken, he found it easier to speak again. "Master Yoda and Senator Organa have just left for Coruscant," he told them, flicking his gaze to Anakin, who was staring intently at him. He smiled again, but resisted the urge to reach across the bed and take Anakin's hand.

So he was briefly startled, but mostly overjoyed, when Anakin made the gesture himself.

"Obi-Wan," he whispered, almost reverently, and Obi-Wan looked back up from their hands to Anakin's face. The sorrow and remorse there was suddenly painfully obvious, and Obi-Wan felt his heart breaking all over again. He could also see Anakin's struggle to find the 'right' words, and he reacted automatically. This was something he understood, something familiar and it drove away the pain inside, because it said – more clearly than words ever could – that Anakin wanted just as much to make things right between them.

"We'll talk in the morning, okay?" he said, striving for calm and almost succeeding.

"In the morning," Anakin agreed obediently.

They shared another tentative smile and Obi-Wan left the room. Once in his own room, he shrugged off his robes and climbed into bed, feeling lighter than he had ever felt. Although this was still only the beginning, he knew they would be reconciled.

--------------

After Obi-Wan left, Anakin stayed at Padmé's side, lost in thought. He had not dared to hope that his relationship with Obi-Wan could be repaired. Anakin had basically admitted that he didn't trust Obi-Wan; Obi-Wan was a Jedi, and would see his marriage as a violation of the Code; they had become enemies; Anakin had destroyed the Jedi, Obi-Wan's only family; they'd _fought_…

The list was endless.

That was why Anakin had ignored Obi-Wan in the courtyard. Yoda's disapproval meant nothing – although his acceptance had come as a mighty shock – but Obi-Wan had been like a father to him, and he had always craved his approval accordingly, no matter how hard he tried to pretend that he didn't care.

But where the Obi-Wan in the courtyard had remained aloof, the Obi-Wan that had just visited them had been so open – he had looked so lost, so uncertain, so desperate (_Well, for Obi-Wan!_) – that Anakin dared to hope that he also wished to re-establish their bond. That he would forgive him, and even support him.

_No matter how undeserving of it I am…_

He frowned and his thoughts turned dark as his mind ran over the evil deeds he had committed.

_Obi-Wan told me terrible things … That you… killed younglings…_

Yet here they both were – Obi-Wan and Padmé – reaching out to him, smiling at him, _loving_ him.

He couldn't help it; he smiled.

He looked up at his beautiful wife and was surprised to find her staring back at him, smirking almost. His smile widened – he couldn't help it, he loved her so much! – and he raised an eyebrow in question.

She returned his smile, before lowering her gaze. "Twins, Ani," she said, casually, as she watched her thumb stroke the back of his hand.

He started and she raised her eyes to look at him, grinning now, and the rush of fear at the reminder of child birth was lost in the contemplation of his beloved Padmé. _Twins!_

Either she saw the brief flash of fear, or guessed at it, because she brought his hand up to caress the mound of her stomach and said firmly, "I'm not going to die, Ani. Nothing's going to happen to me – to _us_ – as long as you're here to protect us."

Anakin felt an answering warmth radiate through his hand, as though his children were as certain as their mother. He sighed, trying to believe it, trying so hard to remain strong, but when Padmé whispered, "It's ok, Ani," he realised that he'd never been the strong one.

When she had denied their love, it had been her strength of will that had given him the strength to hold his emotions in check.

When she had acknowledged her love for him at last, his fear that he had brought her to her death had only abated when he saw how capable she was at defending herself. And afterwards, when they had been forced to hide their love after all, she had accepted it in silence and with determination. There had been no reproaches, no lamenting that she could not tell her family – or indeed anyone – though he knew that she longed to be known as Padmé Skywalker, that she hated 'living a lie', and _he_ had certainly whined enough about it!

And when he had turned to the dark side, she had refused to follow him.

The realisation that he didn't need to be strong for her – stronger than he could be – was like a light going on in his head. There was no need to fear that the darkness would be too strong for him to control, now that he had unleashed it, because Padmé had the strength to help him fight it. With her help, he would vanquish it utterly.

He looked up from the hands that still rested on her stomach. She had been waiting patiently for any sign from him that he was alright, and at his renewed smile, she raised her other hand and brushed his fringe out of his eyes. "Our children are going to be so beautiful, Anakin," she said.

He nodded, and, with a rush of pure joy, realised that he truly believed her.

Though he was haunted by the children he had murdered, though he believed that he no longer deserved a loving wife and a family of his own, he knew with certainty that Padmé deserved a loving husband. That his children deserved a dedicated father. Perhaps that _was_ all that mattered. Perhaps Yoda was right after all. He would do all in his power to atone for his evil deeds, but he would be a husband and a father first and last.

Padmé tugged on his arm, pulling him from his latest reverie, at the same time that she lifted the bedcovers back. There wasn't much room, and she ignored his mock protest as she pulled him into the bed, giggling. They shuffled around until Anakin had enough room to lie on his side without falling off the edge of the bed. They lay together, touching along the length of their bodies, and drifted off into sleep. Though he was still fully clothed, it had never felt more comfortable or more intimate.

--------------

After exploring the wonders of the Polis Massan cafeteria and deciding that basing a culture on ancient relics did nothing to encourage culinary excellence, Obi-Wan returned to the courtyard with a mug of sweetened tea. He sat down on what had become his favourite bench, sipping the tea slowly, then he reached out to his bond with Anakin and probed carefully.

Anakin returned the touch instantly.

"_I'm in the courtyard, Anakin. Join me when you're ready,"_ he told him.

"_Yes, Master,"_ came the reply, then Obi-Wan felt Anakin's attention shift away from him and he settled down to wait.

Anakin joined him as he was finishing the last mouthfuls of tea.

Recognising the sweet fragrance, he joked, "Simple tastes are useful after all, Master; even Polis Massa has sugar and tea."

Obi-Wan smiled, enjoying the reminder of a long-standing joke, and could not resist replying, "Yes, Anakin, but that doesn't mean I don't crave lemon tea every once in a while."

Anakin laughed at that, and Obi-Wan was surprised by the change in him. It was almost as though his cocky young padawan stood before him, rather than a battle-hardened, erstwhile Sith lord.

But then Anakin stopped laughing and he moved to stand respectfully in front of Obi-Wan, as if they were back in the Jedi Council chambers. "You were right, Obi-Wan," he said firmly. "I _was_ lost. But even when I killed him, I was still lost. I don't know what happened, but when he– when he started talking about the future and what he wanted me to do, I realised that Padmé didn't fit with his vision, that _I_ didn't fit. That it had all been a lie. He'd never cared about me, he was just using me. And I was so angry– I just… there was no thought involved, I just cut him in half."

Obi-Wan would have laughed, if it were not for the earnest expression on Anakin's face. Instead, he said, "Well, you always did have a problem with authority, Anakin."

Anakin smiled briefly, "You'd know that better than anyone, Master."

Then he continued, though more hesitantly. "And once he was dead, it was like I could think again. He'd made me believe so many things that weren't true. I even– I even listened to him when he hinted about 'rumours' of a sordid affair between a certain Senator and a certain Jedi Master…" Anakin hung his head in shame "I'm sorry, Master. I don't know how I let it happen – he twisted everything…"

Obi-Wan reached out to Anakin then and Anakin slumped onto the bench beside him. Obi-Wan wished fervently that they had had this conversation long ago, that Anakin could have trusted him then; but the old adage _"better late than never"_, which they had often thrown at each other over the years through all their various planned – and unplanned – escapades, had never been more true than it was at that moment.

He looked at the man beside him, a man whom he had fought proudly alongside – whom he would have been proud to die beside – the brother who had become an enemy. And suddenly he realised that he didn't have to forget, or pretend; Anakin had walked the path of darkness, but in walking it, he had destroyed it. And he

had turned back because he was a good man.

"I'm afraid, Master," Anakin said finally. "I believed him – I made it so easy for him, because the darkness has always been there, inside me… It's still there." He looked down at his hands and Obi-Wan waited patiently for him to go on. "I have never been the Jedi I should be… I can't control my emotions. I refuse to accept that my love for Padmé is wrong, but I know that she has control over it in a way I never have. That's where I failed."

"You have always been open with your emotions, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied, but upon its frosty reception, he realised he had perhaps misunderstood the depth of Anakin's discontent. "The dry teachings of the Jedi weren't enough for you," he clarified; "but we didn't realise, because none of us ever really understood you. Your life with your mother was something we had no experience of… I didn't know how to support you. And it didn't help that the other younglings were so much more knowledgeable about the ways of the Jedi and the Force, yet your skills were far beyond any of theirs. You were an outsider from the start and I didn't try hard enough to make you feel like one of us."

"Don't say that, Master."

"But if you had trusted us–"

Anakin shook his head, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze with some of that defiance of old. "You were the best Master I could ever have had, Obi-Wan. You showed me what was right, you showed me the importance of following rules. You gave me support and friendship, but I ignored it all – I flung it back in your face. I failed you. I destroyed everything you stood for."

Despite the painful reminder, Obi-Wan smiled. Anakin's assertions were like a balm for his battered heart and the words flowed easily. "You succeeded where even Master Yoda failed," he told him. "You have destroyed the Sith, Anakin. The Force will be in balance once more, thanks to you. Don't forget that."

"I should have been able to do all that without turning into a monster, Master."

Obi-Wan sighed, "I wish that too, Anakin, but what's done is done, and no one has ever returned from the dark side. Think how much more evil you would have perpetuated, had you continued to follow the ways of the Sith."

Anakin nodded, frowning. "I would have killed many more innocent people," he agreed. "And I think Padmé and my children would have been the first to die."

Anakin's composure faltered slightly with that last admission; nevertheless, Obi-Wan was more than a little startled and very impressed by Anakin's directness. He had expected Anakin's self-hatred to be a far greater hurdle to overcome than it was proving to be.

No doubt Padmé had a hand in this, he thought with a wry smile.

Anakin saw the smile and raised an eyebrow.

Obi-Wan decided that the truth was more appropriate here than his usual humour. "I am impressed, Anakin. I had thought your guilt would lead you to prefer to pretend it had never happened, or to blame your crimes on the Sith… and part of me even expected to find you paralysed by guilt."

Anakin nodded. "I was at first. But how can I atone for my crimes if I allow my guilt to overwhelm me?" He paused, then added with amusement, "Padmé is a very wise woman."

Obi-Wan laughed, "So I have discovered."

They shared a companionable silence for a few moments – Anakin was clearly thinking about Padmé – but Obi-Wan's thoughts turned now to the state of affairs in the Senate. "Did Sidious tell you of his intentions for this new Empire of his?" he asked.

Anakin shook his head and sighed. "I hardly knew his plans. He did tell me that he intended to remain on Mustafar for a while – I presume the battle with Yoda had left him weaker than he cared to admit – leaving me to deal with the upheaval in the Senate, for the short term at least. He said that his aides knew how he wanted the Empire to be structured, and that I was to oversee it, and to ease the Senators into their new 'advisory' role… As well as to make an example of any that decided not to accept Sidious' rule."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It will not be difficult for Yoda to get this information from these aides. But dealing with the corruption that Sidious has so carefully bred within the Senate – that is another matter entirely."

"At least the war truly is over now," Anakin said. "Even if it will become a war of words."

"Yes, but now that Sidious is not there to control it, the Senate should recover somewhat on its own. Padmé and Senator Organa were part of a group of Senators who believed that the Republic was moving in the wrong direction; once Master Yoda has proved that Sidious was a Sith lord, more Senators should join them."

"I know. I hope so. Padmé doesn't think it will be that easy."

Obi-Wan nodded. "This whole matter will take time to sort out. I presume you have discussed what you will do once the twins are born?"

"Yes, we were thinking of going to Naboo. Padmé wants to tell her family…" Anakin suddenly fell silent. "And there's one other thing," he said uncertainly.

Confused by the sudden change in Anakin's demeanour, Obi-Wan motioned for him to continue.

"Padmé thinks we should say that you killed Vader – or leave Vader out entirely, if at all possible. That if the galaxy knew that _I_ had done these things, it would turn even more people against the Jedi, and I wouldn't be able to help with the rebuilding of the Republic," he said in a rush.

Obi-Wan sensed that Anakin's feelings on this matter were mixed, so he gave it careful consideration. After a moment, he said, "That does make sense, Anakin. You were the poster-boy of the Jedi, and many don't see the distinction between the Jedi and the Sith. Not only that, you could become the focus of revenge attacks, now that Sidious is beyond their reach."

"If you think so, Master. But I'm not a hero anymore – I don't want everyone calling me that. I would rather be held accountable."

"You will be, Anakin," Obi-Wan assured, "The Jedi will know. That is enough. Your crimes against them were greatest." But then he smiled and teased him, "Don't think you are getting off lightly, Anakin. I fully intend to make use of you. Yoda has given me the task of establishing the new Jedi Order, and I expect you to help me."

Anakin stared at him in stunned silence. Finally he turned slightly, so that he was half-facing Obi-Wan and placed his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "There is nothing I would like more, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan smiled and mirrored Anakin's pose, before pulling him into an embrace.

When they sat back, Obi-Wan said, "I was thinking – perhaps Coruscant is not the ideal place for a Jedi Order that will consist primarily of younglings. I'd like somewhere closer to nature, where there are fewer distractions… like, say, Naboo…"

He laughed at the effect this had on Anakin.

They quickly fell into an enthusiastic discussion of what they would need for the new Temple, what they could salvage from the old Temple and what they would want to start over with.

Suddenly Anakin's comm-link beeped and Threepio was shouting, "Master Anakin! Come quickly! Mistress Padmé is in distress!"

Anakin leapt up from the bench, and if it were not for Obi-Wan's Jedi reflexes, which enabled him to grab Anakin's arm as he stood, he would have been out the door before Obi-Wan had even processed Threepio's message. "Calm down, Anakin. Padmé will be all right. You know that Threepio is prone to exaggeration."

Once he felt Anakin relax, Obi-Wan stood and then they left the courtyard. Obi-Wan allowed Anakin to set the pace, so they were fairly running, but he was pleased to see that the burst of anxiety he had felt from Anakin had passed.

When they arrived at Padmé's room, she was indeed fine, although more than a little happy to see them; if not simply because, with their presence, Threepio seemed to hand over responsibility to them and ceased shouting frantic orders at the medical droids.

"I'm fine, Ani. The contractions have started, that's all," she said, as Anakin rushed to her side. "I hope you had enough time to talk…" she trailed off hopefully, and then smiled when she saw the happiness that suddenly blossomed on Anakin's face.

Obi-Wan was again impressed by her ability to divert Anakin's attention away from his worries for her. Anakin's barely-controlled panic had now settled into uncertainty, and she further dispelled his worries when she added, "As long as you're with me, Ani, nothing can go wrong."

As the birth progressed, however, and Padmé's discomfort increased, Anakin's worries returned and he kept casting furtive glances in Obi-Wan's direction. Obi-Wan, for his part, tried to reassure Anakin, but Obi-Wan himself felt uncertain in this situation. He had no idea what he had assumed childbirth would be like – if he'd ever considered it at all – but he found himself utterly surprised by the reality. The soothing tones of the medical droid and the soft beeps of the machine which tracked the heartbeats of Padmé and the twins offset Padmé's ragged breathing and Anakin's incoherent attempts at comforting her and made the silence in between such a sharp contrast that it all seemed strangely peaceful.

Despite the potential for complications – Padmé was a first-time mother after all – it was not long before the first twin emerged, bloody and screaming. The medical droid passed the boy to Anakin and murmured words of encouragement to Padmé, who was resting after the effort of giving birth.

Anakin looked happier than Obi-Wan had ever seen him as he hastily wiped some of the blood and fluid away before showing him to Padmé. She reached up, smiling, and whispered, "Hello, Luke," as she brushed his arm, and then the medical droid was back, encouraging her to push again, so that his twin could join them. Anakin stared down at Luke for a moment longer, then he approached Obi-Wan and delivered Luke into his safe-keeping while Padmé gave birth to Leia.

Obi-Wan looked down at the child in his arms and Luke looked back up at him. He could feel the little life through the Force, already testing his new-found world, and smiled. There was hope for the future.

_The End_

_Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, you really inspired me to keep writing. I would love to know what you think now that my little story is completed._


End file.
